All Things Considered

Commonly referred to as "ATC" and a staple for afternoon commutes, NPR's nationally syndicated afternoon news magazine brings you closer to home with the presence of WAMU's local host.

Since May 3, 1971 All Things Considered has been produced every day from NPR's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Featuring a mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features, "ATC" produces 2 hours of fresh content every day for hundreds of public radio stations around the United States.

Elliott Francis

Local Host, All Things Considered

Francis has worked alongside some of the most influential media executives in the U.S. during his 25 years as a news anchor, including FOX News President and Chairman Roger Ailes, former CNN Executive Vice President Ed Turner, and the founder and former CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, John H. Johnson. In 2002, shortly after joining the ABC news affiliate in Washington DC (WJLA-TV) as the morning co-anchor, Francis was thrust into the rigors of live, non-stop coverage of the DC sniper shootings and investigation, sometimes speaking 8-9 hours unscripted. A skilled interviewer, Francis once convinced singer John Denver to go "on-camera" with details of his upcoming DUI trial.

Princeton University is trying to stop an outbreak of an unusual form of bacterial meningitis, which has already struck seven students. Princeton's trustees decided Monday to start offering students a vaccine that the federal government has approved specifically to help protect students.

The digital currency Bitcoin is becoming more prevalent, both for benign purchases and as a way for criminals to conduct illicit transactions. Bitcoins have been used on underground websites to facilitate sales of narcotics and child pornography. But even those most concerned about criminal activity agree that the emerging digital currency has arrived and can have beneficial uses.

There will be more big typhoons, some in poor countries, some in wealthier regions. But one thing we all share is a difficulty in keeping the next disaster in mind as we rebuild. Most cities are coastal, where even the certainty of big losses hasn't dissuaded people from moving into harm's way.

Ordering a pizza may soon get easier in the U.S. — at least if the company iStrategyLabs has anything to do with it. The company's working on a device they call Pie Pal that allows you to order pizza with the push of a button.

Publishers have flooded the market with books — both new and reprinted — about JFK this fall. Some hazard conspiracy theories or point out the failings of the Warren Commission. Others avoid the subject of the assassination, focusing on JFK's character and legacy. And one includes all 486 frames of the famous Zapruder film, published in their entirety for the first time.

It's a big week for the video game industry; Sony just released the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft will release its new Xbox games console Friday. All Tech Considered is kicking off the week with a look at just how big the industry has become and who plays these days. Robert Siegel talks with industry expert John Davison. He's currently general manager of content and publishing for video game company Red Robot Labs.

Secretary of State John Kerry has been urging Congress to hold off a new sanctions on Iran to see how diplomacy plays out. But many lawmakers are skeptical and cite concerns from Israel that the deal under consideration isn't worth easing up on sanctions yet. Kerry's spokesperson dismissed an Israeli official's account of the proposed deal as "inaccurate, exaggerated and not based on reality." And the secretary himself reportedly told senators behind closed doors that they should disregard the Israeli reports about the deal. Kerry's also been more vocal lately about Israeli settlement building in the West Bank as his other priority, Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, falter.

Many veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are taking advantage of GI benefits to pay for higher education. But most are looking at large state schools or for-profit and online universities. Now, a new scholarship program in California focuses on veterans whose experiences and talents are better suited for smaller private liberal arts colleges.

A public disagreement over same-sex marriage has escalated between the daughters of former Vice President Dick Cheney. Liz Cheney, a Republican Senate candidate, says she supports the traditional definition of marriage. Her sister Mary Cheney, a married lesbian, says Liz is on the wrong side of history.

The U.S. landline network was once the best in the world. But these days, phone companies see them as a burden, an old technology too expensive to maintain. AT&T wants to start replacing the system with cheaper options. Some call it a hasty abandonment of the tried-and-true traditional network.

Egypt's post-revolution transition has been tumultuous. Now, many Egyptians are ready to settle for a return to the pre-revolution status quo: a strong, military man who can guide Egypt back to stability. Their hopes are pinned on Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who led the ouster of Mohammed Morsi.

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